The rookie combo forward out of Arizona was not expected to play a big role this season but in his limited opportunities some encouraging signs were seen.
When the Orlando Magic selected Aaron Gordon fourth overall this past draft many people (myself included) thought Gordon was a couple of years away from contributing to this team.
Gordon’s offense was non-existent outside of dunks. He was not strong enough to defend NBA power forwards yet.
So where could he play? Where did he fit?
At the start of the season, the Magic relied heavily on Aaron Gordon as a small forward, he even replaced the previously reviewed Maurice Harkless in the rotation. Early on Gordon struggled big time, he seemed lost (as most rookies do) on defense, and offensively he was just kind of there.
As the season progressed Gordon started to grasp the NBA game a lot better and the results were impressive.
Defensively Gordon seemed to have distinguished himself as Orlando’s most versatile defender, capable of defending one through four on the floor. With his defense on the upswing Gordon also showed off all of the work he had put into his shooting.
Gordon’s season unfortunately, turned upside down after suffering a stress fracture of his fifth metatarsal (The same injury Kevin Durant suffered).
After coming back from the injury Gordon was not the same player offensively as he had been before, and while his defense and energy were positives his lack of offensive game usually hurt the team more than his other traits helped.
So what was the story of Aaron Gordon’s season?
Next: The Good & The Bad
The Good and the Bad
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/17/2015.
The Good: Defense, defense and defense. While Gordon had a reputation as a strong defender in college, his lack of a true NBA position was a concern.
How would he handle big fours? Is he quick enough to handle opposing threes?
The answer to both of those questions was yes, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. Gordon proved he was quick enough to defend point guards and Gordon was an absolute nightmare for opposing stretch-4s. Another positive from Gordon this year was the drastic improvement in his shooting form.
While his numbers from beyond the arc tailed off after his injury he still shot 72 percent from the free throw line (up from 42 percent) in college and showed a much better form.
The Bad: Injuries. Just when Gordon started picking up steam, he suffered a stress fracture in his foot.
Once back from injury Gordon’s confidence on offense was gone along with his jumper, and the Magic suffered for it.
Gordon is going to have to be a lot more confident offensively next year so the Magic do not pay for him being on the court.
Next: Best Game of 2014-15
Best Game of 2014-15
Nov. 7 vs. Minnesota
17 Points, 6/9 FGs, 6 Rebounds, 2 Blocks
This was the start of the hype train for Aaron Gordon.
Gordon balanced aggressiveness and good shot attempts, and the results were positive. Gordon nailed both of his three’s and made 6 of his 9 shots overall. Including six points in overtime.
On the defensive end, Aaron Gordon was put in to defend Thaddeus Young, and Gordon absolutely shut Young down. Then Magic coach Jacque Vaughn trusted Aaron Gordon to close out the first game of his career and he was rewarded for it.
Gordon was the main reason for that Magic victory and it appeared Gordon’s rookie season was about to surpass expectations until an untimely foot injury, only a few games after this one halted Gordon’s progress in its tracks.
Next: 2016 Outlook
2016 Outlook
With the futures of Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless in flux, it is hard to project what 2016 will hold for Aaron Gordon.
We can definitely expect an increased role assuming he stays healthy, but could Gordon transform into a starting player for the Magic as soon as next season?
I will cautiously side with yes.
While the Magic may make some offseason moves that inevitably push Gordon’s time to start back, I believe Gordon is eventually the starter at the small forward spot. If Gordon continues to improve his jumper, he will be able to play the small forward position without harming Orlando’s offense.
While I believe Gordon is probably a more natural stretch-4 (I believe that is his most impactful defensive spot) Orlando will more than likely address that spot this offseason.
One thing that is for sure is the next coach of the Magic will inevitably mold the versatile Gordon into a weapon that figures into that coach’s long-term vision.
Next: Final Grade
Final Grade:
Gordon gave off a Kawhi Leonard-like vibe on defense at times with his versatility which should make every Magic fan giddy. Much like Leonard, Gordon has to answer questions about his shooting.
While Gordon showed some tremendous improvement with the help of shooting coach Dave Love, he still has a far way to go before he is able to become an offensive threat.
Even after suffering an injury that set him back a few months, Gordon still was able to show signs of brilliance on the defensive end.
With a lot of questions coming into the season involving his position and best spot Gordon ended the season with a much different question. Just how high is this kids ceiling?
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While Gordon struggled to figure out NBA defense in his first handful of games, he assuredly made up for it when he got back from injury.
Gordon gave off a Kawhi Leonard-like vibe on defense at times with his versatility which should make every Magic fan giddy. Much like Leonard, Gordon has to answer questions about his shooting.
While Gordon showed some tremendous improvement with the help of shooting coach Dave Love, he still has a far way to go before he is able to become an offensive threat.
Even after suffering an injury that set him back a few months, Gordon still was able to show signs of brilliance on the defensive end.
With a lot of questions coming into the season involving his position and best spot Gordon ended the season with a much different question. Just how high is this kids ceiling?